The first post-war Indianapolis 500 winner, he was killed in a multi-car pile-up at the Lakewood Speedway, Atlanta. He was very much at his peak because he had qualified for pole for that race and performed strongly since his surprise '500 victory. Born in England, but moved to Ontario and then to the US in 1924 - brother Hal also attempted to qualify for Indy but was not as successful as his elder brother. George, when he started racing, was a British citizen, but at death, had become a US citizen. George became a racer in the mid 1930's, initially in dirt-track racing.